Once, in a gods-forsaken hellhole called Koom Valley, trolls and dwarfs met in bloody combat. Centuries later, each species still views the other with simmering animosity. Lately, the influential dwarf, Grag Hamcrusher, has been fomenting unrest among Ankh-Morpork's more diminutive citizens—a volatile situation made far worse when the pint-size provocateur is discovered bashed to death . . . with a troll club lying conveniently nearby.

Commander Sam Vimes of the City Watch is aware of the importance of solving the Hamcrusher homicide without delay. (Vimes's second most-pressing responsibility, in fact, next to always being home at six p.m. sharp to read Where's My Cow? to Sam, Jr.) But more than one corpse is waiting for Vimes in the eerie, summoning darkness of a labyrinthine mine network being secretly excavated beneath Ankh-Morpork's streets. And the deadly puzzle is pulling him deep into the muck and mire of superstition, hatred, and fear—and perhaps all the way to Koom Valley itself.

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On June 28, 1389 a combined army of Serbs, Bosnians, Albanians and Romanians waged a fierce battle against an Ottoman army on the Plains of Kosovo. Although details of the battle are obscure and lost in the mists of time the animosity between the parties has lingered. It was no surprise therefore that on the 600th anniversary of the battle President Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia launched his `ethnic cleansing' campaign in Kosovo. Sometimes the oldest animosities burn the brightest.That is just about the scenario found in "THUD", Terry Pratchett's latest roller coaster ride through Discworld. The origin and outcome of the ancient Battle of Koom Valley between the Trolls and Dwarves has been obscured and the subject of much debate; but, the lingering and long-lasting hatred between them means they are always one spark away from renewed battle.Grag Hamcrusher is what you might call a Dwarf extremist. Emerging from the depths he rails against those dwarves who have risen close to the surface. He intimates Dwarf residents of Ankh-Morpork who have made accommodations to a life lived above ground. Hamcrusher is a zealot who would like nothing better than to renew a holy war against the hated Trolls. As Thud opens Hamcrusher has just been murdered, thud "being the sound the heavy club made as it connected with the head". The initial evidence, a troll club found near the apparent murder scene, seems destined to bring their historic enmity to a boil. It is up to Commander Vimes and the Watch to find out who killed Hamcrusher and try to avoid a war that could destroy Ankh-Morpork.The Patrician, not surprisingly, has complicated matters for Vimes.Read more ›

Ankh-Morpork, the Great City of Discworld, is proud of its "multiculturalism". Except here, it's "multi-speciesism". Trolls, dwarfs, golems, even a werewolf have been incorporated into city society. They are represented in the ranks of the City Watch, that bastion of law enforcement. Once scorned as ineffective, the Watch, under Commander Sam Vimes, the Duke of Ankh-Morpork, is now considered an exemplary force in the City. "All are just coppers" is one of Sam's litanies. Except when it comes to vampires. Yet, once again, Pratchett forces Vimes to confront his prejudices. And we readers to face up to ours.Into the quietly seething mixture of Ankh-Morpork peoples there arrives a new element. For years, the dwarfs have scrambled up out of the deep dark of their mines to emigrate to Sam Vimes' city. They've become the city's largest "minority group". While boisterous, dwarfs are generally well behaved. Clashes with their ancient enemy, the trolls, have taken little real toll of either group. The deep dark of those mines, however, contain a secret. A secret treasured and sought by elements of dwarf society who consider themselves guardians of its value - the "grags". Nothing offends a grag as much as encountering someone who has "seen the light". These guardians scorn the "short humans" who have abandoned traditional dwarf values in Ankh-Morpork's materialist environment. One of those "traditional values" is the cause of the ancient clash in Koom Valley.A Discworld legend in its own right, the Battle of Koom Valley is one of those "We won!" - "No, we won!" myths so many societies possess. Each side ambushed the other. Both sides shamefully ran away at its conclusion.Read more ›

My family had been reading Pratchett for years, but after not being able to finish The Colour of Magic when I was eleven or twelve, I had assumed he wasn't for me. I picked up Thud in the library soon after it came out, and, not having a library card, I sat in a comfy chair and read until closing time. I came back early the next day and finished it. It is probably one of the best books out there and, because it introduced me to Pratchett, is one of my favourites.

Like all Discworld novels, it's a stand-alone book. The only problem I had with reading it first was that it's got a few spoilers for earlier books (ie: Cheery. That's all I'm saying).

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, hates fantasy and/or is a fan of clever prose.

"Thud" is thirty-fourth novel in Terry Pratchett's hugely popular Discworld series, was first published in 2005 and is the seventh to focus on Sam Vimes and Ankh-Morpork's City Watch.

Sam is the Commander of the City Guard, and - having married Lady Ramkin - a member of the nobility. He's also recently become a father and has made reading "Where's My Cow" to his son every evening at six o'clock his top priority. Despite being a devoted father, however, he mightn't necessarily be considered a typical hero : he doesn't like Assassins (they keep trying to kill him), Kings (it's an old family traditions : even in chess, he supports the pawns) and the Undead (particularly vampires).

For the most part, Ankh-Morpork's ethnic groupings are already well-represented in the Watch. Sam's most capable officer is Captain Carrot - who was born human, although raised as a dwarf. Carrot is an incredibly innocent and very honest character and is widely believed to be Ankh-Morpork's rightful King. (Sam has - to date - refrained from beheading him). Carrot's girlfriend, Angua, is also a member of the City Guard - though, being a werewolf, she also shares Sam's misgivings about vampires. Sergeant Detritus, a troll who deals roughly with troll drug-dealers, seems a natural - not to mention likable - cop, though Sergeant Colon and Corporal Nobbs (a confirmed slacker and probably human) are the most experienced officers. Cheery Littlebottom is an ex-alchemist dwarf, who more or less founded forensics department. (Cheery left the Guild of Alchemists after, accidentally, blowing up the Guild Council). However, for the first time, "Thud" sees a vampire apply to join the Watch. The vampire in question, Sally von Humpeding, is fortunately a Black Ribboner - meaning she abstains from drinking blood.Read more ›